The beliefs and sentiments expressed by those whose letters appear here are not necessarily shared by the Adventist Review or its editorial staff. These letters have been edited for clarity and length. -- Editors

Wonderful, But . . .
The April 12, 2012 Adventist Review is such a wonderful issue! I loved the article by Edlyn Aldridge, “Waiting by the Pool of Bethesda,” about the special-needs child, and the search and acceptance of the situation that turned out better than it might have.

After caring for a special needs Cri-du-chat child for 16 years, who passed away in l994, I can identify with this situation. I liked Aldridge’s comment about the group that bonded together over handicapped children: “We had only one thing in common: love for our little broken angels.” What a wonderful way to express this!

But I disagree with Stephen Chavez’ comment at the end of his editorial “The Peril of Being Glib.” His comment, “Glib answers to the complex problem of evil and suffering in the world are an affront and a sacrilege to an all-knowing, all-wise, all-power God. They do not reflect well on God or His people.”

We find God in many different places, and we don’t all come from the same cut of cloth. God is big enough to accept us where we are, help us continue to grow, and lead us to the plane He wants us to reach.

I just don’t think any approach to God, except a truly sacrilegious one, would be unacceptable to Him. Anytime we search for Him He is there, no matter where, when, or how--even for those who seem to be giving “glib” answers. God sees the heart, not the way we might, sometimes outwardly, seek Him. If we truly look for Him, He will be there.

--Judy Bolyard
Jonesborough, Tennessee

Changing the Debate
I very much appreciated Clifford Goldstein’s column “Changing the Debate” (Mar. 15, 2012). He neatly illuminated the problems inherent in attempting to conjoin a theory of origins predicated on the absence of God, or at most minimal activity by God, with one based on God’s active, intentional design in every aspect of creation.

Of particular interest to me was the paragraph that begins, “Meanwhile, I often hear the argument that Genesis was never meant to be a ‘scientific’ explanation of origins.” Science once held that goat dung was a vital ingredient of poultices for wounds, while the Bible recommends irrigation [of wounds] with wine and oil. Science once held that the earth was carried on the back of a turtle, while the Bible holds that God “suspends the earth over nothing” (Job 26:7, NKJV).

Certainly science has moved away from those positions, and today we know that the way God hung the earth on nothing was by placing it in orbit around the sun. There are other ways of disinfecting a wound than with an alcohol-containing beverage, but that was known to be effective, and the oil would have sealed out bacteria-laden air and would have acted as an emollient.

The point is that often in history we can see instances when science had not caught up with the knowledge contained in the Bible. So Goldstein’s premise that perhaps this is also true in the case of creation cannot be lightly dismissed.

Where there is a conflict, I choose to base my beliefs on the faith of the Word of God rather than on the doubts of the word of science.

--Kenneth A. Lee
South Carolina

Kudos to Clifford Goldstein. The tactic of the “Seventh-day Darwinians” is akin to the atheists calling themselves “brights,” thereby implying that all others are dimwitted.

Sadly, those “Seventh-day Darwinians” are victims of the relentless, false propaganda of millions and billions of years. There is, however, a wealth of information available at creation.com that points to a recent literal six-day creation. There is no need [for an explanation that includes] long ages; including the supposed millions of years starlight takes to reach the earth.

--Andrew Ostapowicz
Sydney, Australia

Impossible to Ignore
Andy Nash relates a refreshing story in “I Can Do All Things Through Christ” (Mar. 15, 2012). The topic of sports in Seventh-day Adventist schools has been a hot issue for many years. There are numerous reasons why we should not have such programs in our schools. The problem, however, is that sports are ubiquitous in our society. One can ignore them, but another approach is to participate in a Christian manner.

This is what Nash has done. Praying with his team, talking about Bible verses, and teaching the players to “carry ourselves with dignity and show respect for our opponents.” Being a Christian is more than going to church on Sabbath; it is letting Christ enter every aspect of our lives—yes, even sports.

This must be done in our sports programs. If it is not, then there is no room in the curriculum for such activities. Thank you, Andy Nash, for providing this blueprint. Yes, even basketball players can witness.

--Walter S. Hamerslough
Lafayette, Colorado

His Legacy
The article, “Soper, Temperance Advocate, Listen Editor, Passes Away” (Mar. 15, 2012), evoked a wealth of memories.
Francis Soper’s creed for Listen was, “only the best is good enough.” That was the goal for his leadership for the magazine, and that’s what he expected from his staff.

Most of the 10 years I was at Listen, we were a three-person office: an editor (who traveled sometimes for weeks at a time), assistant editor (me), and our secretary, who exhibited great patience and grace when she heard those dreaded words: “Sorry, but this whole page has to be retyped--again!” (Thanks, June.)

Deadlines for new copy for all the publications we worked on came around about every two or three days. Sandwiched in between were story interviews, writing and rewriting copy, and reading piles of unsolicited story submissions. We proofread all typed copy to the press, plus galley proofs, page proofs, final proofs--letter by letter, punctuation, grammar, subject-verb agreement, possessive plurals, etc. Yeah, those were the “old days”; no computers, no spellcheck.

No matter. “Only the best is good enough.”

Years later I gave thanks for those words--and the accompanying discipline--when I worked in the newsroom for a daily newspaper. Deadlines? No problem. When do you need it?

Through his editorial leadership and kindness, Francis Soper made a lasting impact on my life. It may not be enough to opt for good things in life. Even when faced with a multitude of choices, “only the best is good enough.”